Obama, Listen Up!

When I wrote a couple of weeks ago that I was “back on the fence” about the presidential election, I came under some pretty heavy rhetorical fire. I didn’t care about “the issues”, I was told, and “I wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade”.

Since that post, I’ve been doing my best to wade through the overheated rhetoric, spin, and flagrant lies coming out of both campaigns (and their supporters), trying to find something that will give me a sense that either one of the two contenders will be different from what I’ve come to expect out of their respective parties.

And I’ve finally come across something that could sway me. It came from Barack Obama:

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said in an interview aired Tuesday that the cost of the mortgage bailout plan may rein in his ambitious plans for health care, energy, education and infrastructure.

Obama’s comments reflect the possible new constraints on the next president’s ability to expand or start programs or cut taxes. The government financial interventions of the past two weeks could cost more than $1 trillion.

How refreshing! Unfortunately, there’s a problem. The interview quoted above took place on Monday, while on Sunday — the day before!! — he basically said he was going to be able to keep all the promises he’s been making on the campaign trail.

Hello? Senator? That was hooey and you knew it!

Listen up, Obama! Your party’s supporters aren’t going to agree with me here, but speaking as a bona fide moderate independent, I can tell you that you’re about to blow this.

Yes indeed, we want change. So how about if we start with a little truth about this mess we’re in: that because we’re in hock up to our little eyebrows, sliding (more deeply?) into recession, and about to take on even more danged debt, the government won’t be handing out any presents for awhile.

And while you’re at it, how about if you tell your party that compounding the mammoth financial liability Congress is about to hand to our grandchildren is a non-starter, and they can nationalize the auto industry in some alternate universe?

Nobody I’ve talked to — for weeks — believes for a second that we’re going to see tax cuts or expensive new programs during the next administration. Stop treating us like we’re idiots! That’s a large part of why people are not buying fully into your message lately.

And don’t tell me how your opponent is telling just as tall — and even taller — a tale. We know that too. John McCain long-since stopped talking “straight”. He’s all about hiding his running-mate in bubble-wrap now, and spinning the high-speed noise machine.

But from you? I have much higher expectations.

You want to lead? You need to start now. Right now.

Start with the truth. We already know what it is; we just need to know that you do, too.